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Religious freedom

Re: Mary Haffner’s column April 17, “Religion laws codify bigotry”: Mary Haffner is very confused over the inalienable rights we have under the First Amendment. The First Amendment grants Christians the robust free exercise (and expression) of...

Religious freedom

Mary Haffner is very confused over the inalienable rights we have under the First Amendment. The First Amendment grants Christians the robust free exercise (and expression) of religious beliefs in the public square without prohibitions.

The laws in Mississippi and Georgia simply recognize that in America we have a politically unpopular group (Christians who hold to a Biblical worldview) that is now being coerced by the state to conform to the LGBT world view.

Let's face it, in America today, it is politically unpopular to hold to the view that gender is fixed by biology and the desire to adopt a gender identity not in accordance to biology is a disorder in need of compassionate help. These Americans who hold to this politically unpopular point of view must be protected under the freedom of expression granted to us in our Constitution.

Mary Haffner, however, wants to marginalize and restrict First Amendment liberties and codify the LGBT worldview in the public square. Fundamentally, she makes an eloquent argument to suppress religious freedom in the public square. In fact, she advocates the authoritarian codification of her LGBT worldview in our public institutions, revealing an intolerance for the free exercise of Biblical Christianity.

Granted, the LGBT worldview and Biblical Christianity are in direct conflict. The answer is not restricting First Amendment rights of one group over another. The answer is just the opposite — the robust and unfettered free exercise of religious liberty and speech in the public square and in our public institutions. We must demand that the public marketplace remain free, respectful of individual religious practice and conscience, no matter how politically unpopular Biblical Christianity becomes.

"One nation under God with liberty and justice for all."

Sean Ragan, Camarillo

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